Feeding mechanism



June 10, 1930. w. COSTELLO, JR

FEEDING MECHAN I SM 4 Sheets-Sheet Filed Nov. 10, 1923 June 10, 1930. w,QQSTELLQ, JR 1,762,764

' FEEDING MECHANISM Filed Nov. 10, 1925 4 Sheets-$heet 2 June 10, 1930.w, COSTELLO, JR 1,762,764

FEEDING MECHANI SM Filed Nov. 10, 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented June10, 1930 warren STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM COSTELLO, JR., OFPHTLADELPHTA, PENNSYLVANIA; ELIZABETH B. COS- TELLO AND JOHN L.COSTELLO, ADMINISTRATOES OF SAID WILLIAM COSTELLO, JR., DECEASED,ASSIGNORS TO EATTONAL BISCUIT COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.,

A CORPORATION F NEW' JERSEY FEEDING MEGHAEISM Application filed November10,- 1923. Serial No. 673,939.

This invention relates to improvements 111 Fig. 11, is a plan view ofthe parts of the feeding mechanisms, and relates more particularly tofeeding mechanisms user in con nection with the cake baking industry. Itwill be understood, however, that the mechanism may find usefulapplication in other industries, and its use is by no means limited tothe specific purpose hereinafter set forth.

After applying a coating or icing to cakes or crackers, it is customaryto place the coated articles on trays for drying. instance, 1 show themechanism which forms the subject of the present invention applied tothe feeding of cakes from the coating mechanism to the drying trays, andwept the principal objects of the present invention isto provideimproved means whereby the cakes are accurately placed upon the traysand whereby they are prevented from being laid unduly near or over theedges of the trays.

The invention further resides in novel and advantageous features ofconstruction and in a novel adjusting means which provides for i theadjustment of the mechanism for cakes or other articles ofdiiferentsizes.

in the attached drawings:

Figure 1, is a side elevation of a machine made in accordance with myinvention;

Fig. 2, is a longitudinal section;

Fig. 3, is a transverse ection on the line 33, Fig. 1;

Fig. 4, is a transverse section through the line &4:, Fig. 1;

Fig. 5, is a fragmentary enlarged section showing the operating cam andthe immediately associated parts Fig. 6, is a plan viewof the partsshown in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7, is a fragmentary enlarged section illustrating details of thetray conveyer operating mechanism;

F 8, is a section on the line 8-8, F154. 7; 4 Fig. 9, is aside elevationof one endof the machine illustrating a modification within the scope ofthe invention;

Fig. 10, is a fragmentary section illustratingthe operating cam ofthemodification 1llus'trated in Fig. 9'together with theassocisitedadjustable parts, and

In the present mechanism illustrated in Fig. 10.

With reference to the drawings, the machine comprises a main frameconsisting of two side pieces, 1, 1, connected by tie rods 2, 2.Journaled in the side pieces 1, 1, near the bottom is-a transverse shaft3 which, as shown in Fig. 3, extends at one side beyond-the side pieceand is thereby adapted for connection with an external source of power,not shown.

The shaft 3 carries at one end a sprocket t which is connected by achain 5, see Figures 1 and 3, with a sprocket 6 upon a shaft 7 journaled at the top of the main frame in the side pieces 1, 1. Thisshaft 7 carries intermediate the side frames a roller 8 around whichpasses an endless belt conveyer 9. The conveyer 9 extends from the topof the roller 8 horizontally across the top of the frame, it beingsupported in this horizontal stretch on lateral rods 11 extendingbetween two bars 12, 12, mounted respectively at the tops of the sidepieces 1. After passing over the last of the supporting rods 11, theconveyer belt inclines downwardly and passes around a roller 13 whoseends are ournaled in side flanges 14, 14, of a plate 15 having trunnions15 journaled in a pair of blocks 16, 16, which la ter are slidablymounted in suitable guides 17, 17, at the tops of the respective sidepieces 1, 1. The guides 17 each also carries a threaded shaft 18 whichextends through the block 16, and has at one end a hand wheel 19 bymeans of which the shaft may be rotated to adjust theblocks 16longitudinally in their guides. Further adjustment of the roll r 13 maybe had by means of a lever 21 respectively attached to one ofthetrunnions 15 and-constituting means for rotating the said plate 15 uponits pivots. The handle 21 is also provided with a threaded bolt 22 thelower end of-which is adapted to bear against the top of one of the sidepieces 1. whereby the 'lever 21 may be adjusted to different positions.A lock nut 23 prevents unintentional turning of the screw 22 in thelever 21.

After passing around the roller 13, the conveyer 9 returns to the underside of the roller 8 and around the roller. the belt intermediate theroller 13and the roller 8 passingover the edge of a plate 24 securedtothe side frames 1, 1, and constituting a scraper which keeps the outersurface of the conveyor 9 clean. It will beapparent that theabove-described ar rangement relative to the roller13 permits lateraladjustment of the rod to give the belt 9the desired tension, and permitsalso a limited vertical movement of the rod for a purpose to bedescribed hereinafter.

' With'further reference to Figures2 and 3,v

it will be noted that the shaft 3 carries a second sprocket 25, which isconnected by achain 26 to a sprocket 27'loosely mounted, as shown inFig. 8, upon a shaft 28'journaled in bearings 29, 29, on a sub-frameconstituted by a pair of beams 31, 31,.and tie rods 32 connect-- ingsaid beams; The sub-frame is mounted in theinain frame upon rollers 33,33, two of which are located at each side of the main frame" supportedon studs 34 which pass through the side pieces 1, 1, as best shown in:Fig.'3. As will be apparent,each of the rollers 33 is provided with a.pair of spaced pe'-.

ripheral flanges 35, 35, between which the beams 31, 31, which in thepresent case are of U-section, are confined. The rollers 31 at oneend ofthe machine are slightly higher in the present instance than the others,and a spring 36 shown in Fig. 1 is provided one end of which is securedto one of the tierods 32 and the other end to a rod 37 which passesthrough a sleeve 38 pivotally supported on one of the main frame crossbars 2, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 1. The extremity of the 41 on atie rod 2 extending betweenarms 42,,

42, on the side pieces 1, 1, the arm 41 being adjustable on the rod 2'byreason of a set screw 43 which normally secures the arm to the rod. Inlimiting the forward movement of the said frame 31-32, a r0ller'44 inthe end of'the arm 41 is adapted to engagea cam 45 on the shaft 28,asbest shown in Figs. '5

and 6. The 'aforedescribed arrangement is such that as the shaft 28rotates and with it the cam 45, the sub-frame 31-32 is, shifted on itsrollers against the tension of the spring 36, and back as the roller 44and the cam assume the relative positions shown in broken lines in Fig.5, the upward movement of the frame 3132 being abrupt by reason of thecontour of the cam. V I As previously set forth, 'the power shaft 3' isconnected through the sprocket 25 and chain 26 with a sprocket27 looselymounted upon the shaft-28. As shown in Fig. 8, the sprocket- 27, isconfined between a collar 47 fixed to the shaft anda second collar 48also fixed to the shaft and comprising ratchet teeth 49. The sprocket27,-as best shown in Fig. 7, carries a pawl 51 which by means of aspring 52 is made to bear against the ratchet 49 on the collar 48. Innormal rotation of the sprocket'27 by the shaft 3, the pawl 51 andratchet 49 constitute a locking means which transmits the rotation ofthe sprocket 27 to the shaft 28. The arrangement, however, is

such as to permit rotation of the shaft 28, for

a purpose'to be describedhereinafter, in its normal directionindependent of the sprocket 27 and the associated partsof the transmission.

As shown in Figs.

the sub-frame.3132, and these sprockets are respectivelyconnected bymeans of pair! of conveyer chains 55, 55', with a pair of sprockets 56,56, on a shaft 57 on the upper end of the sub-frame 3132, the shaft 57being carried in ournal-boxes 58, 58, adjust-able longitudinally of thesub-frame in guides 59,

59, there beingprovided at the inner end of I i form 64 having lonitudinal slits 65, 65,

1 and-2, the shaft 28 carr1es-two sprockets 54,- 54, one. at each sideof through which the upper runs of the chains 55 travel. Each of thechainsqalso carries at 7 intervals lugs 66 which project upwardlythrough the slits above the top of the platform 64 and form means foradvancing over said platform trays 67 which, as shown in 2, are of'suchwidth as to occupy substantially all the space betweenthe successivelugs 66 on the said chains As shown in Fig. 4, in which one of the trays67 isshown' in broken lines, the trays each comprise side pieces'68,68,0f such height as to permit the stacking of the trays upon each'otherwithout injury to the cakes or other articles on the tray. On thesetrays, which are adapted for stacking, the cakes are permitted to dry.

As shown in Fig. 1, there is supported at the lower end of the sub frame3132 on uprights 71, 71, secured to one of the beams 31, a backstop 72which as shown in Figs. 1

and 3 lies at one edge of the platform 64 opposite the point at whichthe trays 67 may be slid in upon the upper run of'the conveyer chains55,55, the stop 72 insuringproper positioning of the trays laterallyof'the con 1 veyer. r r I The operationf'of the above describedmechanism is as follows The cakes or other articles are fed to, theconveyor 9 in any desired manner, but preferably in evenly spaced rowsextending the-entire width of the conveyer. In the presentinstanc, haveillustrated cakes so deposited upon the said con-\ veyer9 intransverseevenly spaced rows,"the depositing mechanism beingindicatedinF 2.as 74; The cakesarexadvanced on theconveyer'9t'owards theouter-end of the latter, whiclrpasses around. the roller 13 as beforedescribed, and this roller is so usted vertically as to lieclose tothetop ofthe trays 67 as they advanceron the conveyer 55. The cakes as theyreach the end of the conveyer 9 andiasshowninFig2 pass off the latterconveyer upon. thetrays 67, which are advancing upon the conveyer chains55,55-

Inorder-"to. preclude the possibility of a rowof' cakes being depositedimmediately overthe junctureiof adjoining trays, I have providedthemechanism constituted by the cam 455'and the arm ll, the operationofwhich was previously described and provides for the sharpbodily movementof the sub-frame 31-32'with the conveyer and the trays carried by theconveyer when the trays have reached the position shown in Fig. 2. Theextent of this forward movement of the subframe 3132 is controlled ormay be adjusted by means of a limit stop comprising a pair of lugs 7 5,75, secured to the respective beams 31, 31, and a corresponding pair ofadjustable bolts 76 suitably threaded in the side frames 1, 1, andadapted to engage the said lugs 75 when the sub-frame advances under theaction of the spring 36 when released by the cam 45. By adjustment ofthe bolts 76, the extent of the forward movement may be controlled. Thisforward movement of the sub-frame 3132 carries thewhole mechanism of theconveyer 55, 55, forward to an extent eliminating the possibility of arow of cakes being deposited at the juncture of the frames. The returnmovement of the sub-frame is in the present instance gradual by reasonof the cam contour.

For proper operation of this device, it is essential that the initialrow of cakes be deposited at the proper point upon the initial tray, andin order to insure this, the shaft 57 is provided with ayhand wheel 7 7,see Fig. 1, whereby the conveyer chains 55, 55, may be advanced by hand.This manual advancement of the conveyer chains 55, 55, is permitted bythe device illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8, which permits the movement ofthe sprocket 27 independent of the shaft 28. In making this adjustment,the mechanism is set in operation until the initial row of cakes orother articles is about to leave the conveyer 9, after which themechanism is stopped and the hand wheel 7 7 operated to bring the movingtray into aposition such that it will receive at the proper point theinitial row of the articles.

The roller 44 acts as an abutment against which the cam 45 bears duringits rotation to move the sub-frame 3132 and the conveyer rearwardly at adefinite speed, and when the point of said cam passes said roller thefirst conveyer, mechanism for normally acspring 36 moves said;sub-frame-and;saidzconveyer forward atv an increased rate of speed. Theforward movement of the conveyer and the sub-frame is controlledby the:screw 76 against which the stop 75 strikes. By turning'the screw 76, thesaid acceleratedforward movement may be varied in accordance with thesize of the articles being depositedon the said conveyer, thesmaller-articles requiring a shorter accelerated travel of the-conveyerthan those'of larger proportions. Then the accelerated forward movementof the conveyer is short, the cam 45 does not. bear against the rollerstop H throughout its en.- tire revolution. It is, therefore, obviousthat the stops 4A and 75 both. function tocontrol the forward movementof'thesuhframe at different stages of said movement underthe conditionsabove noted.

In Figs. 9, 10 and 11, I have illustrated a modification within thescope of the invention, the modification concerning chiefly theadjustment for limiting the forward move:- ment of thesub-frame 3132. Inthis'instance, the camv 45 engagesa roller. 78. upon an arm 79 pivotallymounted on a pin 81, which latter is heldin a bracket. 82 secured to across bar 83 on the main frame. The arm 79 has fixed thereto an arcuaterack 84 which meshes with a pinion 85 on a shaft 86 ournaled in the sidepieces. 1, 1.. The shaft carries at its outer end. aworm wheel: 87 whichmeshes with a worm 88 ona vertical spindle89 journaledat 91 in one ofthe side frames 1, said spindle having at the top a hand wheel 92 by.means of which it may be rotated. By manipulation of the hand wheel 92,the'arm 79 may beadjustedaround its cen ter to various positions,thereby alter-ingithe position of the roller 78 with respect. to theshaft 28 and varying the'throw of the cam and the consequent movement ofthe subframe 8132. The movement of the arm 79 around its pivot 81 islimited by providing in thearm an arcuate slot 93 tlirough whichextendsthe shaft 86, as-illustrated in Fig. 10.

I claim:

1. In combination, a conveyer, a second conveyer adapted to receivearticles from the tuating the conveyers and'for giving'the said secondconveyer an intermittent bodily movement of reciprocation: in directionssubstantially parallel to its normal advance movement, the movementsoflsaid reciprocation being effected at speeds relativelydilferent onefrom the other.

2-. The combination with a conveyer, of a second conveyer movable underthe firstand adapted to receive articles therefrom, mechanism common toboth conveyors for normally operating the conveyers, and mechanism forperiodically and bodily reciprocating the second conveyer relativeto-thefirst conveyerin directions parallelto its normal advance movement foraccelerating the normal forward movement of the second conveyer, themovements of reciprocation being efiected at relatively different speedsone to the other. i l o 1 3. The combination with a main frame, of aconveyer mounted in said mainframe, a sub-frame movably supported on themain frame, a conveyer carried by the sub-frame a conveyer carried bythe sub-frame, mechanism foractuating on their respectiveframes the saidconveyers, andimechanism including a cam for reciprocating the sub-frameon the main frame in directions paralleling the normal advance movementof the said second conveyer, each movement of said reciprocation beingeifectedat a speed relatively difierent from the speed of the othermovement thereof.

5. The combination with a main frame, of

conveyers being adapted to receive articles from the other, mechanismforoperating the conveyers on their respective frames, and

tion of the frames in directions longitudinally of said conveyers, themovements of said reciprocation being effected at speeds relativelydifferent one from the other;

8. The combination with a pair of relatively movable conveyers, one ofwhich isadapted to receive articles from the other, of ,mecha mechanismfor effecting a relative reciproca- V nism for actuating the conveyers,and mechanism' for reciprocating one of the conveyers longitudinally andwith respect to the other, a

said reciprocating mechanism including means for making that part of thereciprocation which is in the direction of the normal movement of theconveyer-comparatively fast with respect to the return movement. V

WILLIAM COSTELLO, R.

a eonveyer mounted on the main frame, a subl frame movably mounted onthe mainframe,

a conveyer carried by the sub-frame and adapted to receive articles fromthe said first 1 conveyer, mechanism for actuating on their respectiveframes the said conveyers,'mechanism for reciprocating the sub-frame nthe main frame in directlons substantially paralleling the normaladvance movement of said second conveyer, and an adjustable stop forlimiting the extent of reciprocation of the sub-frame;

6. The combination with a main frame, of a conveye'rmounted on the mainframe, a sub-frame movably mounted on the main frame, a conveyer carriedby the sub-frame and adapted to receive articles from the said firstconveyer, mechanism for actuatingon their respectivelframes the saidconveyers, a

shaft carried by the sub-frame, a cam mounted on (the shaft "for movingthe sub-frame in one direction, a spring for moving the subframe in theopposite direction, an ust- I o able arm on the main frame adapted to beengaged by the cam, and means for rotating the cam shaft whereby thesub-frame is reciprocated. in the main frame in directions substantiallyparalleling the normal advance movement of said second conveyer.

7. The combination with a pair of relatively movable frames ofaconveye'r mounted on each of said frames and fixed against bodilymovement with respect thereto, one of said

